Opinion / Columnist
City vending needs tight regulation!
06 Feb 2015 at 10:14hrs | Views
It is high time that we find sanity in the city by regulating the operations of vendors in the capital City of Harare. Vendors are robbing our city of its sunshine status as they cause the escalation of filthiness which is a health hazard to the residents.
It is embarrassing to note that this level of unbridled vending on our streets is the prime cause for drainage blockages which lead to floods in the city centre, as well as being the source of diseases such as cholera and dysentery. There is urgent need to rectify this problem before we are held to ransom by this state of affairs which can be curtailed if sufficient efforts are employed by relevant authorities.
Vendors selling different wares which include food, clothes, and electricals are flooding and littering all pavements thereby creating artificial over-crowding on the streets which inundate all residents, shoppers and others that will be going about their official business routines daily.
These vendors are infamous for making ugly noise pollution which embarrasses the public unnecessarily. They also cause obstruction on the streets which disturbs other formal businesses which contribute tax to government.
If these are allowed to go unperturbed, they are enjoying unequal contest on the market against some formal business entities which are registered. They cluster outside some shops which trade similar goods at cheap prices, thereby compromising their profitability, and threatening their viability while they pay nothing to the national fiscus like what formal business does.
One wonders why they are resisting to be allocated designated places by City Council. They are so accustomed to this chaotic state of affairs which cause the rot in city. Action is needed now or else we face a possible crumble sooner.
In view of the above, it is critical that society should rally behind Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, and Local Government Minister, Ignatius Chombo who are advocating for the restoration of sanity in the capital city.
It is embarrassing to note that this level of unbridled vending on our streets is the prime cause for drainage blockages which lead to floods in the city centre, as well as being the source of diseases such as cholera and dysentery. There is urgent need to rectify this problem before we are held to ransom by this state of affairs which can be curtailed if sufficient efforts are employed by relevant authorities.
Vendors selling different wares which include food, clothes, and electricals are flooding and littering all pavements thereby creating artificial over-crowding on the streets which inundate all residents, shoppers and others that will be going about their official business routines daily.
If these are allowed to go unperturbed, they are enjoying unequal contest on the market against some formal business entities which are registered. They cluster outside some shops which trade similar goods at cheap prices, thereby compromising their profitability, and threatening their viability while they pay nothing to the national fiscus like what formal business does.
One wonders why they are resisting to be allocated designated places by City Council. They are so accustomed to this chaotic state of affairs which cause the rot in city. Action is needed now or else we face a possible crumble sooner.
In view of the above, it is critical that society should rally behind Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, and Local Government Minister, Ignatius Chombo who are advocating for the restoration of sanity in the capital city.
Source - Suitable Kajau
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